tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184990032979540229.post3998835692452066102..comments2023-10-25T09:49:43.089+01:00Comments on BEN'S PRISON BLOG - Lifer On The Loose: Money in Prisonprisonerbenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14923205052778958118noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184990032979540229.post-65814596832331814862014-09-03T17:49:56.671+01:002014-09-03T17:49:56.671+01:00Serious fraud (100k or more) can ruin a victim'...Serious fraud (100k or more) can ruin a victim's life or cripple a company and lead to job losses, that is why it should carry the same tariff as murder.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184990032979540229.post-66276827528294442052014-09-02T12:29:59.252+01:002014-09-02T12:29:59.252+01:00Petty theft is nothing really, just pay back the c...Petty theft is nothing really, just pay back the cost of the stolen item. However, serious fraud is a different matter and should carry the same tarif as murderAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184990032979540229.post-63570684736410210562014-07-03T18:30:56.880+01:002014-07-03T18:30:56.880+01:00And no one who is not in prison ever steals anythi...And no one who is not in prison ever steals anything! You are either a full-time thief or a decent hard - working person; there are no grey areas. Sigh. Sirikithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13188194741226037319noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184990032979540229.post-77037053797433345232014-07-02T15:30:41.118+01:002014-07-02T15:30:41.118+01:00I've recently launched a new Blog about prison...I've recently launched a new Blog about prison life in the UK from the perspective of an Insider and peer mentor who was recently released. One of my main aims to is answer specific questions and to attempt to dispel at least some of the common myths about prisoners and prisons in the UK. You might be interested to take a look as I deal with the IEP system and its implications for prisoners: http://prisonuk.blogspot.co.uk/PrisonUKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05060870139110580938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184990032979540229.post-83438674723101306662014-07-01T22:47:41.743+01:002014-07-01T22:47:41.743+01:00HMPS definitely take the view that the new Nationa...HMPS definitely take the view that the new National Facilities List does not give rise to any compensation issues. At my last prison (hopefully!) - a D-cat - PSI 30/2013 came into operation on 1 November 2013 and overnight practically every winter coat held in legally in possession became contraband (black, hooded, padded, lined, etc, etc). Since stores had no HMP fleeces in stock, and none were due until March 2014, we managed to persuade the acting No 1 governor - a decent enough bloke who hated Grayling with a passion - that there should be an 'amnesty' period of three months to allow prisoners to exchange coats (via visits or ROTL) or to purchase new ones on Day Release, without having to use the approved catalogues. In fact, every single coat available from the catalogues at that time would have failed to meet to new Facilities List specifications.<br /><br />However, it was clear that no compo would be payable in any circumstances, even if existing prop held in possession had been previously approved prior to PSI 30/2013 coming into effect. This particular D-cat had been very lax about hooded clothing and black items, so massive amounts had to be handed out or signed off prop cards and thrown away. Loads of other items were affected... digital alarm clocks, for example, are now banned. To be honest, it was a chaos and that was in an open prison. I imagine that things were even more messy in the closed estate. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184990032979540229.post-85717709074118718222014-07-01T20:10:02.155+01:002014-07-01T20:10:02.155+01:00@Anon 6.03 HMP rel;ies heavily on the fact Remands...@Anon 6.03 HMP rel;ies heavily on the fact Remands often know bugger all about the Rulers and usually have little interest in going to a paper-war during their short stay.<br /><br />Remands have always been neglected and given the worst regime, illegalities included. No remand should ever have to EARN privileges. If they are a discipline problem, there is the disciplinary system. That a remand can earn Enhanced privileges but on conviction have to be placed on Graylings Entry level reeks of sheer malevolence.prisonerbenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14923205052778958118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184990032979540229.post-56134175677805713842014-07-01T20:06:15.415+01:002014-07-01T20:06:15.415+01:00@bigmacc
Yea, because all thieves do is steal. All...@bigmacc<br />Yea, because all thieves do is steal. All day, every day. Always. Seriously - I expected better.prisonerbenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14923205052778958118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184990032979540229.post-20927026319258250992014-07-01T20:05:20.926+01:002014-07-01T20:05:20.926+01:00@Anon 5.15 Interesting point. I'd argue that b...@Anon 5.15 Interesting point. I'd argue that being discharged to Court is NOT being discharged from custody, so the prop should be stored and if needed re-earned rather than re-bought.<br /><br />I gather HMPS is taking the view that the removal of privileges under Grayling's new scheme doesn't lead to compensation for the removed goods.prisonerbenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14923205052778958118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184990032979540229.post-77035536958852289052014-07-01T18:03:45.176+01:002014-07-01T18:03:45.176+01:00Treatment of unconvicted remand prisoners in Engla...Treatment of unconvicted remand prisoners in England and Wales has been a scandal for years, but the situation is getting worse. Around 10 percent of adult prisoners are actually on remand, yet in practice they are treated as badly, or worse, than convicted prisoners even though they are not supposed to be in custody as a punishment. At both B-cats I served in during my sentence remands were treated exactly like convicted prisoners, regardless of the Prison Act and Prison Rules. They were always denied civvy clothing on reception and were put into grays. <br /><br />HMP Lincoln in 2012 - among the worst - refused to allow remands private clothing until they reached Enhanced level on the IEP system, even though this breached both the Act and the Rules. Moreover, remands were always forced to share cells with convicted prisoners and were threatened with the Block if they complained. They were also routinely forced to work, even though this also breached the Rules. <br /><br />The main problem is that remands, especially first timers, rarely know the rules and simply comply. This is great for operational purposes, but drives a coach and horses through the legal divide between unconvicted and convicted prisoners. Hopefully, someone who has been on remand for a stretch and then gets acquitted will take on the MoJ and NOMS about these abuses.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184990032979540229.post-55973813638554894812014-07-01T17:50:25.455+01:002014-07-01T17:50:25.455+01:00You are quite correct about Entry Level and remand...You are quite correct about Entry Level and remand prisoners under PSI 30/2013. Those who are remanded for long periods of time can progress to Enhanced level without too much problem as long as they don't accumulate IEP warnings. You then get access to higher rates of private cash via your spends account - up to £51.00 for Enhanced remands and £47.50 for Standard remands. However, if you get convicted... then you lose everything (including all your private clothing, DVD player, musical instruments etc etc) and go back all the way down to Entry level and £10 per week private cash. It's a bit like IEP Snakes & Ladders...<br /><br />What isn't clear to me yet is whether newly convicted prisoners who return from court to prisons where they have been remands have to hand out all their in-possession Enhanced prop (DVD players and civvy clothes) and then have to start buying again from the catalogues from scratch, or whether all this private gear is then placed in their stored prop until they reach Enhanced level again when it can be re-issued in possession. I'd be interested to hear whether anyone has info on how prisons are handling this issue.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184990032979540229.post-22165912329382862232014-07-01T16:11:34.569+01:002014-07-01T16:11:34.569+01:00The idea of working hard, saving up and buying thi...The idea of working hard, saving up and buying things like normal, law abiding citizens seems a totally alien concept to prisoners. Its so much easier to go out and steal somebody elses.bigmaccnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3184990032979540229.post-19985498962906348742014-07-01T12:00:33.328+01:002014-07-01T12:00:33.328+01:00One thing about entry level. If a remand prisoner...One thing about entry level. If a remand prisoner attains enhanced status, under these new rules, if he is then sentenced, I believe he gets 'entered' again at entry level - even in the same prison. Emer O'Farrellnoreply@blogger.com